"We are assessing the risk of different options of trying to remove those bodies," she said.

In May, six climbers, including two professional guides and Intel Corp Vice President Uday Marty, set out on a five-day trek to summit the mountain. They were last heard from by satellite phone two days into their journey and were presumed to have died after falling or getting trapped in an avalanche.

An initial search found climbing gear and signals from avalanche beacons buried in the snow. The hikers were experienced and attempting a difficult route known as Liberty Ridge. Only 129 out of 10,800 used that route last year.

The missing climbers were believed to have fallen about 3,000 feet into an extremely dangerous area, where snow, ice, and rock fall constantly.